Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus that can accurately discriminate the type of a recording material.
Description of the Related Art
There is a conventional image forming apparatus (e.g., a copying machine or a printer) that is equipped with a sensor capable of discriminating the type of each recording material. More specifically, the image forming apparatus can automatically discriminate the type of each recording material and control transfer conditions (e.g., transfer voltage and conveyance speed of transferred recording material) and fixing conditions (e.g., fixing temperature and conveyance speed of fixed recording material) according to the discrimination result.
As discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-55814, there is a conventional image forming apparatus including a recording material discrimination unit capable of discriminating the type of a recording material by irradiating the recording material with light and capturing an image of the light having transmitted through the recording material and an image of the light reflected on the recording material. The above-mentioned image forming apparatus controls image forming conditions (e.g., transfer conditions and fixing conditions) according to the recording material type determined by the recording material discrimination unit. In a case where a plurality of recording sheets can be supplied from a specific accommodation section, the above-mentioned image forming apparatus discriminates the type of the plurality of recording sheets accommodated in the specific accommodation section based on a captured image of a first recording sheet and controls the image forming conditions based on the determined recording sheet type. The control performed by the above-mentioned image forming apparatus is based on the premise that the recording sheets are the same in type.
However, actual detection results obtained by the recording material discrimination unit may be variable due to influence of irregularities in manufacturing processes, even when the type of the recording sheets remains the same. The control discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-55814 intends to detect only one recording sheet. Therefore, deterioration may occur in accuracy of the recording material type discrimination. The image quality will deteriorate correspondingly. The control discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-55814 was satisfactory in the past. However, more improved accuracy in discriminating the recording material type is required to satisfy the requirements for recent advanced image qualities.